Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-07-16

TIE 1CCH-PRAIsED SoNGSTER HEARD THIS SUMNER
ON LONG ISLAND.
From the New York Evening Post
Geo. A. DennlsOn writes as follows: To an Amer
can who is lover OF song birds the first hearing
Of the European skylark is a noteworthy event.
While waiting for the bird to sing he Is likely to
wonder, as did the writer, whether the song will
so Tar surpass the music OF best singers as the
Worldwide reputation or the bird might lead one
to expect. 1t WAS on Long Island, ABOUT a week
ago, only few miles from our own city, that
heard IOr the nTSt time this assisted emlgrant,"
whose advent (heaven be praisedD our laws have
not opposed. l was walking near q 1ed, not
OF grass, nor grain, nor vegetables, but weeds-a
deSolate WaSte-frUm which none would expect
melody TO arise whose beauty has been proclaimed
to the corners OF the earth. But soon Was re-
minded that TO the lark as TO other birds weeds
are not weeds; Tor new voice arose out OF the
desert; and looking In the direction OF the sound
behed bird or medium size, with eager futter-
Ing wings. only few ieet above the ground and
rlalng 6y short, quick lights. He poured forth a
Hood OF notes as he went upward. The voice had
something in iJ-SomethinK Observation-Disclosures
made IL different from any bird song OF ours. Then,
TOO. II sang While rising. This could be none
other than the European sKylark, especially as
had been told that he could be heard ia that
1t Is wonderfully inspiring to hear bird sing as
he mounts neavenward, yet with the skyiark
(dare say tt?) the first feeling Of the listener is
apt TO be one OF disappointment For the quality
or tone and the character of particular notes is
what engroSses the attention at the outset, and
the observer calls to mind large number or
oauSCAS WuOSC HUGS C4udi W tucSc ut eau
even name several whose voices surpasS this new
voice from the Old World. But do not insist too
much upon Tone quality. Wait and listen. The
song grows upon you. You wonder where any
creature can md the power TO sing so rapturously
and continuously while mounting into the sky.
There Is no pause at all between the notes. They
are almost as rapid as those or the bObOl1nk,
though less inpetuous, with less bubDnng exuber-
ance Tins Is truly the Joy-song OF bliLhe spirit
borne aloIt into the sky.
The skylarA Is not ringing song, nor is 1t very
loud; but being sweet IL is heard a long distance
when the bird Is In the air. There Is a marked
difference In this respect when the singer Is on
the ground. 1uen the notes sound not much
more than half rs loud. Ii Is probable that the
bird sings louder when dying, the sensation or
rising INTO the air and OF coming down again stm
ulaIlng him TO more vigorous EXPRESSION. Many
OF the notes, perhaps nearly hau OF them are
what might be called, for want OF better term,
Kind or musical sputter Yet this term Is Too
harsh. The notes are more rapid than q MARBLE,
and they are not a trilL The loudeSt notes /
heard are Like the last Two notes OF our meadow
LARK, only shorter, and not plalntive. The Amer
lean bird that most nearly resembles the skylark
as TO the general quality VI the song, leaving out
the quality OF continuity, is The song sparrow.
The GwO songs are not greatly alike, yet There il
much In common between them, especially ~ 70
tone quality.